Paper fastener



.i June 4,1935. Q A, ROSS 2,003,554

PAPER FASTENER Filed July 13, 1955 l \25 '290' 816,2. @9b 25 2a 28 sa? 32155 AVe/,o 32 sla 29 3s [illlmgklluuml @55S 5132 asgbb 22 212s Patented June 4, 1935 runirsi) srArEs PATENT OFFICE V2,003,554 PAPER FAs'rENERJ Oscar A. Ross, New York, N. Y.' Application July 13, 1933, Serial No. 680,4165

2d claims. (o1. ,e4-15s) This invention refers to paper fasteners and the novel features'thereof will be pointed out in more particularly to that class of fasteners for the appended claims. clamping together a number of superimposed In the following detailed description ofthe sheets of perforated paper such as correspondinvention, reference is had to the accompanying 5 ence. drawing wherein several embodiments of the in- 5v An object of this invention is to provide a fasvention are illustrated and wherein:- tener cf this character which is of yimproved and Figure l is a side elevational View of a clampl economical construction' and which will give ing member for paper fasteners and Fig. 2 is a highly satisfactory'servicein use. I plan View of the same. Fig. 3 is a side eleva Another object is to provide a 'paper fastener tional View of a modified form of clamping mem- 10 of comparatively low height for economizing in' ber, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 5 filing space. is a side elevational view of a package of clamp- Another object is to furnish novelly formed ing members, and Fig. 6 is a plan View of the keepers for paper fasteners having sliding locks, same. Fig. 7 is'a perspective enlarged view showsaid locks being of'no greater height than other ing the application of the clamping member dis- 15 portions of the keeper. closed in Figs. 1 and' 2, and Fig. 8 is a similar Another object is to furnish ncvelly formed view showing the applicationfof the clamping clamping members for paper fasteners which may member disclosed in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 9 isa be secured to paper folders or binders of known fragmental sectional View of the applied clamping form Without 'employing perforations therein member shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 10 is a super-en- 20 other than those requiredfor inserting the finlarged part sectional view of a paper fastener ingers of said clamping members. cluding an improved form of keeper, and Fig. 11

Another object is to furnish novelly .formed is a part plan view of the same on avsmallerscale.l

clamping members' having self-perforatng lock- Referring to Figs. 10 and 1l, the paper fastener ing projections for securing" said clamping mem- I for binding paper sheets 2 comprises keeper 3 25 bers to paper folders or binders withoutemployand clamping member 4,` said clamping member ing special tools. includes fingers 5 and may be of any of the forms Another object is to furnish novelly formed shown herein. l clamping members having locking projections for' Keeper 3 comprises keeper plate 60 having locking the members to'paper folders or binders, raised re-enforced end portions 6 including per- 30;.

said projections being initially semi-formed'for forations l, said perforations being formed by more ready packaging of said clamping members depressing the tongue or Wall portion 8 downfor economy in storage space, said locking prowardly as more fully described in my co-pending jections being associated with peculiarly formed' application Ser. No. 677,574, filed June 26, 1933,`

openings in the clamping members for more readsaid perforation receiving clamping member 35 ily assemble thereof when packaging. fingers as 5.

Another object is to furnish clamping members Connecting the end portions 6, are connection for paper fasteners having initially semi-formed rails 9 comprising rail portions I0 andreenforc locking projections for locking the member to a ing wali portions II comprising substantially 4() paper binder or cover the locking projection being angle bars, the end portions 6 and rails 9 40 finally formed for locking the member to said forming a rectangular frame having openings I2 binder or cover. The operation of finallyforminto which clamping fingers, as 5, are bent downing said locking projection acting to depress a Wardly to rest on the paper sheets?. The bridge i portion of the binder or folder into an opening portion I3 of end portions 6 is depressed downin the member thereby minimizing theV thickness wardly whereby the bend in fingers 5, is positioned 45 of said binder or folder at the point the clampat a point bGlOW the Upper SurfaCe 0f Said end ing member is Secured, portions and preferably as low as possible. The

Another Object is to furnish a peculiarly rail portions 9 are also depressed below the formed locking projection for paper fastener upper Surface of end portions 6 Wherebythe locks Clamping members said projection having a read- I4 in their raised or locked position are substan- 50 ily bendable portion whereby in the Ybending tially of the same height as the end portions. thereof the main body portion thereof is not de- Locks I 4 comprise shoe portions I5 having lock-V formed. ing recesses I 6 lockably engaging locking pro- Other objects and `advantages will appear as jections I I on rail portion I D as more fully der the description of the inventionV progresses, and scribed in my co-pending applicationSer. No. 55v

643,773, filed November 21, 1932, now Patent No. 1,908,644, dated May 9, 1933. Shoe portions |5 are joined by bridge portions I8 having transverse trough portions I9 acting to engage fingers 5, also acting to produce a minimum height for the bridge portion with respect to the keeper plate 60.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and '7, clamping member comprises base portion 2| having re-enforcing ribs 22. At each end of said base portion are joined fingers 23, said fingers being initially bent at an angle of 45 from the base portion for more readily packaging of the clamping members as shown by the full lines of Fig. l. Locking projections or tongues 24, are formed from the base portion 2| inwardly adjacent the base of fingers 23 and are initially also formed at an angle of approximately 45 to the plane of said base portion for more ready packaging. The openings in said base portion have an area greater than the area of said lockingprojections. This peculiar feature serves a double purpose. The increased areaof the openings permits more ready assembly of a number of clamping members for packaging. The increased area of openings 25 also permits a portion of the binder or folder onto which locking projections 24 are depressed to enter said openings and lie between re-enforcing ribs 22. Thelocking projections 24 are provided with a groove or more readily bendable portion 28 to permit the bending thereat when the clamping member is applied to the binder or folder. The clamping member 2G when semi-formed as shown by the full lines of Figs. 1 and 2 will nest' for more economical packaging as shown by the portion of the package thereof at the left of line A-A of Figs.'5 and 6. f

When it is desired to attach a clamping member to a binder or folder, the fingers 23 and locking projections 24 are bent to a second semiformed substantially vertical position as shown by the dotted forms 23a and 24a, thereafter said fingers and locking projections are inserted through a perforation, as 26, in theV binder or folder 21, as shown by Fig. 7, the locking projections 24 being finally bent over the inside of said folder 21 as more fully shown by Figs. 'l and 9, the portion of said binder or folder underlying said locking projections being depressed into openings 25 thereby minimizing the thickness of said binder or folder at the point said clamping member is secured thereto. By securing clamping members tov binders or folders in the manner described, they do not accidently become detached therefrom when the folders are moved during the operation of adding or removing sheets of paper thereto and therefrom. The more readily bendable portion 28 of said locking projection acts to prevent bodily deformation of said projections as they are bent from semiformed to final formed positions. It is to be noted that by having the lingers 23 and locking projections 24 enter the same perforation as 2G, said perforations being of standard form, it is unnec-v essary to supply special perforations'for securing rations whereafter they are bent downwardly insaid clamping members to a binder or folder.

Referring to the modified form of clamping member 3B shown by Figs. 3, 4, and 8, said member comprises base portion 3| having re-enforcing ribs 32, fingers 33, being joined to each end thereof. Said base portion also includes selfperforating locking projections 34 for perforating the binder or folder and are preferably positioned more inwardly from lingers 33 than the similar locking projections 24. Said base member is also provided with openings having an area greater than the area of said locking projections and for the same purpose as described in connection with clamping member 28. Said fingers 33 and locking projections 34 are also initially semi-formed at an acute angle to the plane of the base portion for more readily nesting as shown by the package of clamping members to the right of line A-A of Figs. 5 and 6.

When a clamping member as 33 is to be applied to a binder or folder, the lingers 33 and locking projections 34 are reformed to a second semi-formed position as shown by the dotted lines 33a and 34a, thereafter the fingers 33 are inserted through the usual perforations 26, the locking projections 34 piercing the binder or folder after which said locking projections are bent downwardly to final form, in this manner depressing a portion of the folder 21 downwardly into the openings 35 as shown by Fig. 8, the downwardly depressed portion laying between reenforcing ribs 22. The locking projections 34 are also provided with grooves or readily bendable portions 28 whereby said locking projections may be bent to the second semi-formed and iinally formed positions without bodily deflection thereof.

Whereas the locking projections 34 have been shown as projecting inwardly in their semiformed state, they may project outwardly as shown by a dotted form 34D, under which condition the openings 35 would be moved to the position as shown by the dotted lines 35h.

Auxiliary locking projections, as 23, may be stamped from the body of fingers 33 and in their initial semi-formed position are depressed slightly below the finger body to permit shearing of the metal for forming the same. As fingers 33 are bent to their second semi-formed position 33a, the locking projections 29 do not move and after the clamping member 30 has been applied to a binder or folder 21 said locking projections will enter the perforations 2'| whereafter they are-finally formed by bending downwardly and outwardly to the dotted position 29a as shown, the ends of said locking projections overlying the body of said binder or folder adjacent the perforations therein. Auxiliary locking projections as 29 may also be added to clamping member 20, `or said projections may be solely employed for locking the clamping member to said binder or folder.

Furthermore self-piercing locking projections as 29a may be added to the ends of the base portion 2| of clamping member 20 and in their initially formed position, lay in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the fingers 23 in their initially formed position 23a, said locking projections being reformed to a second semiformed position parallel to the Second semiformed position 23a of fingers 23. Thereafter the clamping member is applied to the folder or binder and as the lingers 23 pass through the perforations 26, said locking projections will pierce said folder or binder adjacent the perfowardly or outwardly over the body of said binder or folder.

Similar locking projections 29h may be formed on the parallel edges of the base portion 2| and in their initially formed, reformed and nally formed position will act similarly to the locking projections 29a. Said locking projections 29a and 29h may also be employed jointly or solely with other locking projections disclosed herein or in said copending applications or on any of` the clamping members disclosed in said copending applications and said issued patent.

It is to be understood that the keeper 3 of Figs. and 1l is formed 'with similar ends 6 at each. end thereof thereby forming the rectangular opening l2 therein.

What I claim is:- v A 1. In a paper fastener, a clamping member having fingers arranged to pass through perforated sheets of paper forv the binding thereof, a keeper including a keeper plate having end portions conneoted by spaced rail portions forming a frame including acentralopening therethrough having a Width wider than th-e width ofthe iingers, perforations in the Aend portions for receiving the fingers of the clamping member therethrough, `the fingers being bent down into the central opening of the keeper plate for binding the sheets, and locks slidableV upon the rail portionsV arranged to be slid over the downwardly bent fingers for the locking thereof.

2. Ina keeper for paper fasteners, a keeperVV plate having end portions connected by spaced rail portions whereby a central opening is formed therethrough, rectangular perforations in the end portions, a bridge portionV on the end portions forming one edge of the rectangular perforations, the rail portions being positioned below `the end portions and the bridge portions being positioned below the rail portions, and locks slidable on the rail portions arranged to move over the bridge portions.

3. In a keeper for paper fasteners; a keeper plate having raised end portions connected by spaced rail portions whereby a central opening is formed therethrough, perforations inthe end portions, a bridge portion on the end portion between the perforations and the central opening, the rail portions being positioned below the end portions and the bridge portions being positioned below the rail portions, and locks slidable on the rail portions arranged to move over the bridge portions.

4. In a keeper for paper fasteners, a keeper plate having perforated end portions connected by spaced rail portions, the rail portions being positioned below the end portions with respect to the uppermost surfaces thereof, and locks` slidable on the rail portions the uppermost portion of the looks being substantially in the same plane as the uppermost portion of the end portions.

5. In a lock for paper fastener keepers, a rectangular bridge portion having shoe portions joined to one pair of parallel edges thereof, and trough portions formed inwardly of the other pair of parallel edges thereof.

6. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base portion having lingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, and semiformed locking projections on the member inwardly adjacent the fingers for locking the member to the binder when finally formed, the semiformed looking projections being arranged to enter the same perforations of the binder as entered by the fingers upon applying the clamping member tol the binder.

7. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having fingers joined toeach end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets, the fingers being initially semi-formed in a plane obliquely to the plane of the base for more economical packaging, and

semi-formed looking Yprojections on the memberV for locking the member to the binder, the locking projections being also initially semi-formed in a plane obliquely to the plane of the base for more economical packaging.

8. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having lingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets, semi-formed locking projections on the base portion for locking the member to the binder, and openings in the base through which the semi-formed locking projections of other clamping members may enter when matingly Yassembling a number of the clamping membersfor packaging.

9. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having fingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a bin-der for holding paper sheets, and piercing locking projections on the base portion for locking the member to the binder, the locking projections being initially semi-formed obliduely to the plane of the base for economical packaging, then reformed to a second semi-formed position for piercing the binder and finally formed for locking the clamping member thereto.

l0. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having ngers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets, and semi-formed locking projections stamped from the body of the fingers for locking the member to the binder upon the final forming thereof, the locking projection being arranged to enter the same periorations of the binder as entered by the fingers when the clamping member is secured to the binder.

l1. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having fingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets, and semi-formed looking projections stamped from the body of the base inwardly of the fingers for locking the member to the binder upon final forming thereof, the semi-formed locking projections being arranged to enter the same perforations of the binder as entered by the fingers when the member is secured to the binder.

l2. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having fingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, semi-formed locking projections on the base arranged to pass through the body of the binder and be finally bent for securing the member thereto, and openings in the base` into which the portion of the binder body underlying the locking projections is constrained to enter, the area of the openings being greater than the area of the locking projections for preventing shearing of the binder body when the lockingprojections are bent to final form.

13. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having lingers joined toy each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, semi-formed locking projections on the base arranged to pass through the body of the binder and be finally bent for locking the member thereto, and readily bendable portions joining the base and the locking projections for permitting the bending of the locking projections from semi to final form without deforming the body thereof.

lli. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having fingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, and piercing locking projections joined to the ends of the base spacedly each side of the fingers arranged to pierce the body of the binder Whenthe member is applied for locking the clamping member to the binder.

I5. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having ngers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, and semi-formed piercing locking projections joined to the ends of the base spacedly each side of the fingers arranged to pierce the binder body for locking the member thereto as they are finally formed When applying the member to the binder.

16. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having ngers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, and semi-formed piercing locking projections joined to the parallel edges o the base spacedly between the ends thereof arranged to pierce the binder body for locking the member thereto as they are nally formed when applying the member to the binder.

17. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having fingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, the ngers having initially formed and reformed positions, and initially semi-formed piercing locking projections joined to the ends of the base portion arranged to pierce the binder body for locking the member thereto as they are finally formed When applying the member to the binder, the locking projections being initially semi-formed in a plane parallel to the plane of the fingers in their initial form.

18. In a clamping member for paper fasteners,

a base having lingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, the fingers having initially formed and finally formed positions, and initially semi-formed locking projections joined to the parallel edges of the base spacedly between the ends thereof arranged to pierce the binder body for locking the member thereto as they are finally formed when applying the member to the binder, the locking projections being initially formed obliquely to the plane of the base for more ready packaging thereof.

19. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having ngers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets therein, semi-formed locking projections joined to the ends of the base spacedly each side of the ngers arranged to lock the member to the binder as they are nally formed when applying the member to the binder, and more readily bendable portions at the junoture of the locking projections and the base for permitting the bending of the locking projections from the semi to nal form Without deflecting the body thereof.

20. In a clamping member for paper fasteners, a base having fingers joined to each end thereof arranged to enter perforations in a binder for holding paper sheets, semi-formed looking projections stamped from the body of the ngers arranged to lock the member to the binder upon the nal forming thereof, and more readily bendable portions joining the locking projections to therclamping member for permitting the bending of the projections from semi to final form without deforming the body thereof.

j OSCAR A. ROSS. 

